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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development of Marine Resources through Effective Management of 30% of its seas by 2020

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Department of Environment , Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Fiji.
#SDGAction39971
Description
Description
The objective of the partnership is to effectively manage 30% of Fiji’s seas by 2020, through the strengthening of inshore locally managed marine areas (LMMAs) and the establishment of offshore, multiple-use marine protected areas (MPAs). What is unique about this partnership is that the Fiji Government and civil society are working strongly together to achieve this ambitious target that exceeds Fiji’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Aichi Target 11.Since SIDS 2005, Fiji has seen a rapid expansion of the management of inshore areas and as of 2014, 78.2% of Fiji’s coastal traditional fishing grounds are now managed, covering 1.8% of our Exclusive Economic Zone. To meet its 30% SIDS commitment, the Fiji government will increase its investment in the effective management of inshore areas which are vital to the livelihood and food security of our people. At the same time the Fiji Government will expand its focus and establish offshore MPAs to effectively manage the unique biodiversity, fisheries and other ecosystem services the ocean provides Fiji and the wider global community. This commitment is reflected in the recently Cabinet approved Green Growth Framework for Fiji, and commits the government to “establish deep water MPAs targeting 30% of offshore areas by 2020.”
Implementation of the Project/Activity

Inshore – the Fiji government will strengthen its support to FLMMA and other civil society groups to increase the effectiveness of inshore LMMAs. In Fiji, LMMAs are within traditional fishing grounds and have the following features: (1) communities design and implement management measures to meet local objectives; (2) the LMMAs are managed through customary rules and do not necessarily have any formal legal status; and (3) communities are encouraged to take an adaptive management approach. Better enforcement and surveillance support will be provided to local communities to ensure LMMAs better address livelihood and food security needs. Offshore - a number of potential areas of interest have been identified for Fiji, some of which were identified as Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) under criteria set by the Convention on Biological Diversity. Potential areas, for example include the Vatu-i-Ra Seascape, the Great Sea Reef and Lau Group. The 2020 Working Committee will lead a collaborative and integrated planning process, to identify and establish offshore MPAs that will involve and benefit a range of stakeholders including vitally important industry partners, with interests in improving the management of offshore areas and reducing conflicting or incompatible uses.

Capacity

Through this unique partnership between the Fiji Government and civil society, and the engagement of industry partners, knowledge and skills will be pooled and shared towards the common goal to effectively protect 30% of Fiji’s seas by 2020.

Governed

The Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation will lead a Fiji 2020 Working Committee, in partnership with civil society (WCS, FLMMA, WWF, IUCN, CI) and with the support of development donor partners (Waitt Foundation, etc). The Working Committee will report to a high-level multi-stakeholder panel tasked with oversight on the implementation and monitoring of the Green Growth Framework for Fiji.

Partners
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area Network (FLMMA), World Wide Fund for Nature – South Pacific (WWF), IUCN, Conservation International (CI), Waitt Foundation.

Goal 14

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Goal 14

14.1

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

14.1.1

(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

14.2

By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

14.2.1

Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

14.3

Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

14.3.1
Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

14.4

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

14.4.1
Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

14.5

By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

14.5.1
Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

14.6

By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

14.6.1

Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

14.7

By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

14.7.1

Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

14.a

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

14.a.1
Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

14.b

Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

14.b.1

Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

14.c

Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

14.c.1

Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

To effectively protect 30% of Fiji’s seas by 2020.
Other, please specify
Fiji Department of Fisheries has funding to work with local communities to formally gazette a number of community managed LMMAs. The Waitt Foundation has committed some initial seed financial support to WCS, to support the process for establishing offshor
Staff / Technical expertise
Civil society groups have both Fiji and international experience establishing marine protected areas. The Waitt Foundation has supported key science and an economic valuation of the Vatu-i-Ra Seascape in Fiji.
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False
Action Network
Small Island Developing States
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Timeline
01 December 2020 (date of completion)
Entity
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) (Fiji)
SDGs
14
Region
  1. Asia and Pacific
Website/More information
N/A
Countries
Fiji
Fiji
Contact Information

Manoa Malani, Policy Adviser

mmalani@wcs.org